The Pirates got hit with a little of everything Saturday: a lineup scratch, a rehab step forward and a season-ending injury update that puts a hard stop on Mitch Keller’s 2026.
Endy Rodríguez was pulled from the starting nine against the Mets because of left hip discomfort, the same issue that sent him to the injured list last month. He had already sat Friday, which at first looked like a standard day off, but the latest development makes his status a lot more important. For now, Henry Davis will handle catching duties and hit ninth in Rodríguez’s place.
Pittsburgh’s medical staff is still working through whether Rodríguez will need another trip to the IL. If that happens, Rafael Flores Jr. is already on the active roster and could share the catching load with Davis. That would also give the Pirates a chance to use the open roster spot on another position player, with Tyler Callihan and Billy Cook among the most obvious names to move up.
There was better news on Oneil Cruz, who is getting closer to a return after missing nearly two months with multiple non-displaced fractures in his left hand. Cruz was back in action Friday for Triple-A Indianapolis, playing seven innings in center field in his first competitive game since going on the injured list in early June.
That’s a meaningful checkpoint, but not necessarily the finish line just yet. The Pirates will likely want Cruz to get a couple more tune-up games before bringing him back, especially after such a long layoff.
He still needs time to sharpen his timing at the plate and settle back in defensively. Even so, his return to game action points to a possible activation sometime next week if everything goes smoothly.
Keller’s situation is much more definitive. His 2026 season is over after Pittsburgh placed him on the 60-day injured list with a right arm teres major muscle injury. He told reporters Saturday that he felt the problem during Sunday’s start against the Reds, when his arm kept tightening until he was pulled without recording an out in the third inning.
Keller said he didn’t feel anything unusual beforehand beyond the normal grind of a season. The injury stands out because it is his first arm-related issue in 12 years. He is expected to avoid throwing for about eight weeks, giving the Pirates a cautious path through his offseason recovery.
He closes the year 6-8 with a 5.29 ERA in 22 starts, and now his focus shifts to getting healthy for 2027.
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Oneil Cruz Just Put The Pirates On Return Watch
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The hand issue, which has kept the Pirates waiting, was enough to remove any urgency from a firm timetable. Manager Don Kelly said the club will handle Cruzs recovery day by day as he works to regain playing time, leaving the next step tied to how the rehab assignment goes rather than any preset date. [Read more 🡒]